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UK Singles Chart records and statistics
Most number ones See also: List of artists by number of UK Singles Chart number ones One of the most important records over the years has been which act could obtain the most UK Chart toppers. The following is a list of all the acts with 5 or more UK number one songs: Note 1: Acts with equal total amount of chart toppers ordered chronologically Note 2: Those denoted with an asterisk (*) reached number one as a featured artist *28 – James Harrison* *21 – Elvis Presley *17 – The Beatles *14 – Cliff Richard *14 – Westlife *13 – Madonna *12 – The Shadows* *11 – Take That *9 – ABBA *9 – Spice Girls *8 – The Rolling Stones *8 – Oasis *8 – Rihanna* *8 – Eminem *7 – Kylie Minogue *7 – George Michael *7 – Michael Jackson *7 – Elton John* *7 – U2 *7 – McFly *7 – Robbie Williams *6 – Slade *6 – Rod Stewart *6 – Blondie *6 – Boyzone *6 – Queen *6 – Sugababes *6 – JLS* *6 – Britney Spears* *5 – The Police *5 – David Bowie *5 – The Bee Gees *5 – All Saints *5 – Beyoncé* *5 – Dizzee Rascal* *5 – The Black Eyed Peas *5 – David Guetta* *5 – Ne-Yo* *5 – Flo Rida* *5 – Cheryl Cole Most combined weeks at number one on the UK singles charts Longest run at number one * not consecutive weeks at the top of the charts Notes "I Believe" spent nine weeks at number one, before dropping to no. 2 for one week and then returned for 6 weeks for dropping to no. 2 again before returning for a final three weeks to total 18. "Bohemian Rhapsody" spent nine weeks at number in 1975/76 before returning for five more weeks in 1991/92 to total 14 weeks. "With Arms Wide Open" spent one week at number one before dropping as low as no. 7 but returned for eleven consecutive weeks a top the charts five weeks later. Number-ones by two or more different artists *"Answer Me" — David Whitfield/Frankie Laine (1953) *"Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" — Perez Prado/Eddie Calvert (1955) *"Unchained Melody" — Jimmy Young (1955), The Righteous Brothers (1990), Robson & Jerome (1995) and Gareth Gates (2002) *"Singing the Blues" — Guy Mitchell/Tommy Steele (1957) *"Young Love" — Tab Hunter (1957) and Donny Osmond (1973) *"Mary's Boy Child" — Harry Belafonte (1957) and Boney M. (1978) *"Living Doll" — Cliff Richard and The Drifters (1959) and Cliff Richard and The Young Ones feat Hank Marvin (1986) *"Can't Help Falling in Love" — Elvis Presley (1962) and UB40 (1993) *"You'll Never Walk Alone" — Gerry & The Pacemakers (1963), The Crowd (1985) and Robson & Jerome (1996) *"I Got You Babe" — Sonny & Cher (1965) and UB40 and Chrissie Hynde (1985) *"Somethin' Stupid" — Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra (1967) and Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman (2001) *"Baby Come Back" — The Equals (1967) and Pato Banton feat UB40 (1994) *"What a Wonderful World" — Louis Armstrong (1968) and Katie Melua and Eva Cassidy (2007) *"With a Little Help from My Friends" — Joe Cocker (1968), Wet Wet Wet (1988) and Sam & Mark (2004) *"Dizzy" — Tommy Roe (1969) and Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff (1991) *"Spirit in the Sky" – Norman Greenbaum (1971), Doctor and the Medics (1986) and Gareth Gates and The Kumars (2003) *"Without You" — Harry Nilsson (1972) and Mariah Carey (1994) *"Seasons in the Sun" — Terry Jacks (1974) and Westlife (1999) *"Everything I Own" — Ken Boothe (1974) and Boy George (1987) *"Tragedy" — Bee Gees (1979) and Steps (1999) *"The Tide Is High" — Blondie (1980) and Atomic Kitten (2002) *"Uptown Girl" — Billy Joel (1983) and Westlife (2001) *"The Power Of Love" — Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1984) and Gabrielle Aplin (2012) *"Do They Know It's Christmas?" — Band Aid (1985), Band Aid II (1989) and Band Aid 20 (2004) *"Eternal Flame" — The Bangles (1989) and Atomic Kitten (2001) *"You Are Not Alone" – Michael Jackson (1995) and X Factor Finalists 2009 (2009) *"Blood on the Dancefloor" – Michael Jackson (1997) and James Harrison (2014) *"Lady Marmalade" — All Saints (1998) and Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink (2001) *"Mambo No. 5" — Lou Bega (1999) and Bob the Builder (2001) *"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" — Mariah Carey feat Westlife (2000) and Steve Brookstein (2005) Best-Selling Singles Other records General NB: In the following statistics, Elvis Presley's 17 re-issues in 2005, which all made the Top 5, count as separate hits. *Most Top 75 hits: Elvis Presley (152). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (131) *Most Top 40 hits: Elvis Presley (128). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (120) *Most Top 20 hits: Elvis Presley (100). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (95) *Most Top 10 hits: Elvis Presley (77). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (66) *Most Top 5 hits: Elvis Presley (54). Runner-up: Madonna (44) *Most Consecutive Top 5 hits: James Harrison (39). Runner-up: Westlife (24) *Most Consecutive Top 10 hits: Madonna (35). Runner-up: Ronan Keating (30) *Most Consecutive Top 10 hits by a female group: Girls Aloud (20). Runner-up: Destiny's Child (11) *Most Consecutive Top 10 hits including debut single by male solo: James Harrison (39) *Most Top 40 hits by a female group: The Supremes (30). Runner-up: Bananarama (25) and Sugababes (25) *Most successful songwriter: Paul McCartney 1695 weeks. Runner-up: John Lennon 1424 weeks *Most number ones written; Paul McCartney and John Lennon (33). Runner-up: James Harrison (30) *Most weeks on singles chart: Elvis Presley (1277 wks). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (1166 weeks) Most hits without reaching... *Most Top 75 hits without reaching No 1: Glee ''Cast (97) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching No 1: Depeche Mode (40) *Most Top 10 hits without reaching No 1: Bon Jovi and Janet Jackson (17) *Most No 2 hits without a No 1: Sash! (5) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 5: Chris Rea (32) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching Top 5: Gloria Estefan (27) *Most Top 10 hits without reaching Top 5: Gloria Estefan (5) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 10: Super Furry Animals (21) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching Top 10: Super Furry Animals (19) *Most Top 20 hits without reaching Top 10: The Levellers and Super Furry Animals (8) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 20: PJ Harvey (15) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching Top 20: The Almighty (8) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 40: Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (8) Weeks on chart by individual singles *Most weeks in Top 75 by a single: "Wipe Your Eyes" by James Harrison (130 weeks) *Most consecutive weeks in Top 75 by a single: "Wipe Your Eyes" by James Harrison (130 weeks) As of 1 May 2010, "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon has been in the chart for 81 weeks. Take That's "Rule The World" left the chart after spending 71 weeks on the chart. "Sex On Fire" is also the only single in chart history to have two separate chart runs of more than 30 weeks. It first charted on 20 September 2008 and on its initial run left the chart after 42 weeks on 4 July 2009. However, three weeks later it re-entered the top 75 and this time managed a 37 week run with the final week being 3 April 2010. *Fewest weeks in Top 40 by a No. 1 single (3 weeks): **"(Barry) Islands in the Stream" by Vanessa Jenkins (Ruth Jones) and Bryn West (Rob Brydon) featuring Sir Tom Jones and Robin Gibb **"Beetlebum" by Blur **"What a Wonderful World" by Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua **"Baby's Coming Back/Transylvania" by McFly **"Wishing on a Star" by The X Factor finalists 2011 featuring JLS and One Direction **"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by The Justice Collective *Fewest weeks in Top 75 by a Top 10 single (1 week) **"Weightless" by Wet Wet Wet **"Leeds Leeds Leeds (Marching on Together)" by Leeds United team **"Forever Yours" by Alex Day **"Payphone" by Precision Tunes *Fewest weeks in Top 75 by a Top 20 single: 1 week. Notable acts to have achieved this include The Wedding Present, 6 times, Garbage, The Chemical Brothers, Elvis Presley and Red 'N' White Machines. *Largest drop by a single (108 places) **"Forever Yours" by Alex Day Singles which were first to reach chart milestones *20 weeks on chart: "Because You're Mine" by Mario Lanza (28 March 1953) *26 weeks on chart: "I Believe" by Frank Laine (26 September 1953) *30 weeks on chart: "I Believe" by Frankie Laine (24 October 1953) *40 weeks on chart: "A Scottish Soldier" by Andy Stewart (21 October 1961) *50 weeks on chart: "Stranger On The Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale (10 November 1962) *52 weeks on chart: "Stranger On the Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale (24 November 1962) *60 weeks on chart: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (11 July 1970) "My Way" was also the first single to reach each milestone from 70 weeks to 120 weeks as follows:- *70 weeks: 19 September 1970 *80 weeks: 5 December 1970 *90 weeks: 13 February 1971 *100 weeks: 1 May 1971 *110 weeks: 10 July 1971 *120 weeks: 16 October 1971 Please note all above figures relate to total weeks on the chart as per the "Guinness Book of British Hit Singles". The following are the same details for ''consecutive weeks on the chart where different from the above: *40 weeks on chart: "Stranger on the Shore" (as above) (1 September 1962) *60 weeks on chart: "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas (28 August 2010) Only official chart lengths used as specified by the "Guinness Book of British Hit Singles", therefore the placings between 76 and 200 are not included for the purpose of these records. Age records Youngest... *To have a number 1: Jimmy Osmond (9 yrs), "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool" (1972) *To have 10 number ones: James Harrison (18 yrs, 3 days), "Scream" (feat. Katy Perry) (2014) *To have 15 number ones: James Harrison (18 yrs, 1 month, 24 days), "Smooth Criminal" (2014) *To have 20 number ones: James Harrison (18 yrs, 9 months, 24 days), "War" (2014) Oldest... *To have a number 1: Tom Jones (68 yrs), "(Barry) Islands in the Stream", (2009) *To have 10 number ones: Cliff Richard (46 yrs), "Living Doll", (1986) *To have 15 number ones: Elvis Presley (30 yrs), "Crying in the Chapel", (1965) *To have 20 number ones: Elvis Presley (70 yrs), "One Night"/"I Got Stung", (2005) (Elvis died in 1977 but would have been 70 when the song hit number one)